Mike Simmonds

Hatters boss Nathan Jones admitted he had been left ‘surprised’ by the decision to rescind the red card awarded to Carlisle United’s Michael Raynes at the weekend.

The Cumbrians defender was dismissed in the latter stages of the 1-1 draw at Kenilworth Road after he was deemed to have elbowed striker Danny Hylton.

I’ve made sure that I asked my number nine about the incident and I will not change my opinion about it.

Nathan Jones

However, the Brunton Park club successfully appealed the sending off, and after a number of repeated viewings, Jones was struggling to work out just how the disciplinary panel came to that outcome.

Speaking to the press this afternoon, he said: “I thought I’d be asked that question and I’ve actually watched it eight times right now.

“I never speak about other teams, or about other managers, or about other players, unless it’s complimentary.

“Lets make no bones about it, Carlisle are a very good side, with very good players, with an excellent manager, I had a drink with him after, no problem whatsoever.

“But I have not changed my mind on that and I have watched it eight times. For me, that’s a red card, but it benefits me no more it being rescinded or it being upheld, as we don’t play Carlisle in the next three games, so it wouldn’t make any difference whatsoever to us.

“But I’m very surprised that was overturned to say the least, without getting in trouble or anything, I’m very surprised.

“And they must have a different angle to what I watched or a different perspective on football.

“I’ve made sure that I asked my number nine about the incident and I will not change my opinion about it.”

In his post match press conference, Jones labelled Raynes’ actions as ‘cowardly’, which United boss Keith Curle took exception to when speaking to the official Carlisle website about the decision,

He said: “I’m disappointed with some of the comments made by Nathan Jones and Danny Hylton which have appeared in the press over the weekend. “We’ve had people talking about ‘off the ball incidents’ which were ‘cowardly’ acts.

“We’ve found that difficult to take because we know that Michael is a very committed and determined professional who does his job in the right way.

“These comments have been made, naively in my opinion, about an incident which clearly didn’t happen.”

However, Jones didn’t feel that was the case, adding: “I understand that certain comments have come out saying I was naive to make those comments.

“No, I’m saying if you elbow someone off the ball, I think that’s a cowardly act, but I’m not saying that Raynes was a coward.

“I’m saying that it’s a cowardly act to do that in general and if he did do it, then it’s disappointing and from the video it looks like it was.”